TOKYO, Nov. 22 /CNW/ - Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai
International Buddhist association and founder of Soka University, was
awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from the
University of Massachusetts Boston at a ceremony held in Tokyo's
Shinjuku Ward on November 21.
This brings to 300 the total number of honorary doctorates, honorary
professorships and equivalent titles conferred upon Mr. Ikeda by
institutions of higher education in some 50 countries for his efforts
to build peace and promote cultural exchange and humanistic education.
University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor Dr. J. Keith Motley headed
a delegation including Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Dr. Winston E. Langley and Associate Provost and Director of
International and Transnational Affairs Professor Eunsook Hyun which
was visiting Japan to sign an academic exchange agreement with Soka
University and present the honorary doctorate to Ikeda.
The University of Massachusetts Boston is part of the University of
Massachusetts system. A research-intensive public university, it
enrolls 11,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students.
In his citation, Dr. Motley introduced Ikeda as follows: "Inspiring
Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, writer, educator, and global founder of
institutes to better humanity," and lauded his advocacy of individual
empowerment and social engagement.
Ikeda commented: "I am deeply honored. The academic honors I have
accepted have all been on behalf of the members of SGI around the
world. This is recognition of their multifaceted contributions. As a
private citizen, I will redouble my efforts to promote peace, cultural
exchange and education."
Ikeda and Dr. Motley agreed that, particularly in times of great turmoil
and confusion, the role of education must be to foster people dedicated
to the welfare of humankind.
Ikeda received his first honorary doctorate in May 1975 from Moscow
State University in recognition of his educational endeavors, efforts
toward nuclear abolition and philosophical writings. He has since been
awarded academic honors from a wide range of institutions including
Tsinghua University, the University of Hong Kong, Denver University,
the University of Glasgow, the University of Delhi, the University of
Sydney, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of
Ghana.
Daisaku Ikeda (1928- ) was president of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist
association from 1960 to 1979. In 1975, he became the founding
president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI) which now has 12 million
members around the world. He is also founder of the Institute of
Oriental Philosophy, the Min-On Concert Association, the Tokyo Fuji Art
Museum, the Soka education system from kindergarten to university
level, the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research and the
Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue. He is the author of
numerous works on Buddhist philosophy as well as over 50 published
dialogues with leading thinkers from different cultures around the
world.
See: www.daisakuikeda.org